Internal-combustion engine.



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Patented .12111.y 8, 1918,

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' INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE. I AP'PLlcATIN'FlLED APR. 1s. 1916- i Patented .mi 8,1918.

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R. WEHRa -INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE. f

I APPLICATION FILED APR. 13.1916. v

Patented Jan.v8,1918

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. llll RUDOLPH WEHR, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

i' INTERNAL-QOMBUSTION ENGINE.

of New York and State of New York, have' invented certainnew and useful Improve- "ments in Internal-Combustion Engines, of

which the following is a specification.

The present invention relates to internal combustion engmes, more particularly to rotary valves for use in conjunction with such` engines.

W ith valves of this type serious troubles have been experienced heretofore, to wit:

Due to the continuousy rotation or oscillation, as the case'may be, of the valve either the valv.itself or its valve seat wears out, whereby the Huid-tight joint between the valve and`its chamber is destroyed with a result -that the compression in the combus-- tion chamber of the cylinder is materially lowered.

One of the main objects of the present invention is to obviate this defect, by providing'a lining for the valve chamber, which automatic-ally adjusts itself to compensate for the wear thereof.

lVith'this and other objectsin view, which will more fully appear as the nature of the invention is better understood, the same consists in the combination, arrangement'and construction of parts hereinafter fully described, pointed out in the appended claims and illust-rated in the accompanying drawings, it being understood that many changes may be madein the size and proportion of the several parts and details of construction vwithin the scope of the appended claims without departing from the spirit vor sacri-A iicing any of the advantages of the invention.

One ofthe many possible embodiments of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a vertical central section taken through a portion of an internal combustion engine having th`e improvement mounted thereon; Fig. 2 is a section taken on line 2-2 of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a section taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 1; and Fig. 4 is a similar section talken through the lining alone.

The invention isdescribed herein as applied to a single cylinder internal combustion engine ot the four cycle type, but it is obvious that it may be used in connection with other types-just as well. v

Speeieetion of Letters Patent.

Application led April 13, 1916. Serial o. 90,911.

kPatented Jan. S, 19518.

Referring now to the drawings, the numeral 10 indicates the working cylinder of the engine, provided lfor thewell known urpose with a water jacketll. In this c vlinder reciprocates a piston 12 of any suitable construction. For igniting the successive combustible charges' supplied to the cylinder a sparking device 13 of any suitable typeis provided. In the top of the cylinder is formed an elongated port 14, from whichleads an upwardly extending tubular member l5, that is of oblong cross section, corresponding to that of the port 14. This tubular member is cast integral with the engine cylinder and is open at its top. Upon the head of the cylinder is mounted`a valvecasing 16, the longitudinal axis of which is disposed parallel to the longer axis of the port 14. rI`he side walls of this casing, denoted by the numeral 17, extend vertically and are provided one with an inlet 18 and the other one with an outlet 19. The base 20 of the valve-casing is circular in configuration and rests upon the cylinder hea'd, a suitable packing 21 being interposed for the well known' purpose. In this base is formed an annular recess 22, in which is seated a disk-shaped extension 23 of a valve casing linin 24. On this disk-shaped extension of tie lining are mounted packing rings 25, which bear against the vertical face of the recess 22, the height of the extension 23 being smaller than that vof said recess.l The lining is provided with vertically extending sides 26, snugly fitting the inner faces of the side walls of the valve-casing, said sides being connected bya semi-cylindrical portion 27, correspondingsubstantially in shape to the configuration of the 4top portion of the valve-casing. In the 15. The semicylindrical portion 27 of the lining does not contact with the inner faceI of the top portion of the valve-casing, but is disposed at a distance therefrom. The semi-cylindrical portion 27 is provided with a bolt 31, projecting through an opening 32 in the top of the valve-casing. This bolt is screw threaded at its free end, as shown at 33, and -with these threads'mesh those of a nut 34. Upon the bolt is coiled a. spring 35, one end of which abuts against the said nut and the other one against the top of the valve-casing. The tendency of this spring is to raise the lining 24.

A rotary valve 36 is disposed within the lining. The spindles 37 and 38 of this valve are journaled in bearings 39 and 40, respectively, upon the heads of the valve-cas* ing. This valve is provided with an arcshaped passage 41, the width of which cor'- responds to that of the port 14 in the cylinder head vand also to that of the inlet and outlet in the valve-casing. The length of this passage corresponds to that of'said port and -also to that of said inlet and outlet. The valve is driven from the crankshaft 0f the engine by any suitable means, such Y means including a member mounted upon .tance from the the spindle 38 (not shown). The valve rotates at a speed half ofthat of the crankshaft, orl in other words/'while the crankshaft makes two revolutions the valve completes one turn, as usual in four cycle internal combustion engines. formed upon the lining of the valve-casing,

more particularly in its lower portion 42,l said portion beingdisposed between thev lower edges of the apertures 28 and'29 in.

the said' lining, and this seat is the only porvtion ofthe lining at which the valve contacts therewith, as clearly appears'from Fig. lof the drawings. Upon the inner face of the semi-cylindrical portion 27 ofthe lining is mounted a packing strip 27 which contacts with the valve throughout the length of the latter.

A lubricating systemis provided for the .valve seat. F orthis purpose there is formed in the lining a channel 43, that communicates through a nipple 44 with a feed pipe. From this channel lead passages 45 up to the valve seat and passages 46 down toward the cylinder head. There is furthermore provided a passage 47, which leads from the channel 43 to the aperture 30 in the lining, the Walls of said aperture beingspa'ced from the tubular member 15, and the open top of the latter being disposed a'slight disperipheral portion of the valve.

The lining of the valve-casing is, pref'- erably, made 'of gray iron, which is somewhat softer than the material of which the valve is formed.

vThe operation of this device is as follows: Let us suppose that the lining of the valvel Casing is in the position shown in the several figures of the drawings. The spring 35 causes the said lining to contact throughout the entire area of its seat portion with the valve, -thereby forming an airtight closure so as to prevent the pressure in the Working chamber of the cylinder from being lowered by leakage. As, during use, the valve seat wears ofi', the spring causes .the lining to rise and to make continuously an airtight The valve seat isV .between the top of the valve-casing and the semi-cylindrical portion 27 of the lining. The packing strip 21 is provided to prevent the inlet 18 and the outlet 19 of the valve-- casing from communicating through the space between the semi-cylindrical portion 27 of the lining and the valve. As the lining rises, gases would be apt to escape through the recess 22 in the base 20 of the valve-cas ing. The packing rings 25 on the extension 23 of the lining, however, prevent such occurrence.

The pressure in the working chamber acts through the passage 47 on the lubricating material in the channel 43, and forcesflubrieating material through the passages 45 onto the valve seatv and through the passages 46 onto the cylinder head. The lubricating material on vthe cylinder head is then forced toward the packing rings 25 to keep the same well oiled .so as to permit of a sliding motion of the lining, if required by the wearing off of the seat.

From the foregoing it appears that the invention consists, broadly speaking, in providing a slidable valve seat that is kept continuously and automatically in Contact with the rotary valve of an internal combustion engine in order to provide an airtight closure Y yfor the working chamber thereof. rl`he semicylindrical portion 27 of the lining is provided for no other purpose but to constitute a supportfor the means which cause' the valve seat to rise automatically in the manner above described.- It is obvious, however, that the spring 35 need not be applied to the top of the valve-casing, in which case,

of course, the semi-cylindrical portion 27 of the lining could be done away with. 'lhat I claim is 1. In an internal combustion engine, the combination with 'a valve-casing, of a rotary valve arranged therein a lining for said and said casing for causing a continuous contact between said seat and -said valve.

3. In an internal combustion engine, the

combination with a valve casing, of a rotary valve arranged therein, a sleeve shiftably arranged in said casing and having a concave portion forming the seat for said valve, said sleeve .surrounding completely said valve, and means disposed outside of saidvcasing engaging said sleeve and said casingrfor causing a continuous contact be tween said seat and said valve.

4. In an internal combustion^"e`iigine, the combination with the cylinder of the engine having a port, of a valve-casing thereon provided with an inlet and outlet, a rotary valve arranged in said casing having means for periodically opening and closing communications between said port and said inlet and outlet, a shiftable valve Seat within said casing, and means for causing continuous Contact between said seat and said valve, said Valve seat being provided with a channel containing a lubricant communicating through passages with the working face thereof, said channel communicating also with the port in said cylinder, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

5. In an internal combustion engine, the combination with the cylinder of the engine,

of a valve-casing thereon, a rotary valve arranged in said casing, a shiftable valve seat within said casing, means for causing a continuous contact between said valve and said seat, said valve seat being provided with a channel containing a lubricant. communicating through passages with the working face thereof, said channel communicating also through a passage with the Working chamber of said cylinder.

6. In an internal combustion engine, the

combination with the cylinder of the engine,

ing also through a passage with the working chamber of said cylinder, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

Signed at New York, in the county of New York, and State of New York, this 27 th day of March A. D.. 1916.

RUDOLPH WEHR. 

